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Mausonaut Joins TMG and Reports on ExoMars Launch

March 9, 2016 By groundcontrol Leave a Comment

We are excited to announce a new and exciting partnership! We are pleased to have Mausonaut and his human scientist friend Holger, join The Mars Generation team. Mausonaut will serve as an honorary Student Space Ambassador as well as a spokesperson for The Mars Generation. And to kick things off he is reporting for us at the European Space Agency launch of ExoMars on March 14, 2016.

For the ExoMars launch the Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) and the lander Schiaparelli will start their 6-month journey to Mars lifted by a Russian Proton launcher. Mausonaut has been selected as a social media reporter and allowed to follow the launch from a very special location. He will not be onboard (yet) and he will not be present at the launch base in Baikonur. But there is another interesting place to follow a launch – from the satellite control center. The center is called ESA’s Space Operations Centre (ESOC) and is located in Darmstadt, Germany. All ESA satellites are controlled from there. And on March 14 TGO and Schiaparelli will be added to the list of satellites being controlled from there.

As always Mausonaut will report bilingual – in English and in German. He will be reporting mainly from his own Twitter account, @Mausonaut, but will also be tweeting from our Twitter account, @TheMarsGen. Finally you can find updates on our blog right here so make sure you sign up to get updates now.

Welcome Mausonaut – we have enjoyed getting to know you since we launched our organization last September and are so happy to have him join us officially.

Press Release: The Mars Generation To Hold Train Like A Martian Challenge

February 25, 2016 By Leave a Comment

MINNEAPOLIS, MINN February 26, 2016

While an education in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) is important to the future of space exploration, it is also important to remember that space is a harsh and unforgiving environment which places unique challenges on the human body. In an effort to encourage and educate people on the importance of health and fitness, The Mars Generation (TMG) will be hosting the Train Like a Martian Challenge April 18-24, 2016.

During the Train Like a Martian Challenge, TMG will post daily physical activity challenges inspired by NASA’s Train Like An Astronaut program.* Individuals, community groups, and schools around the world are invited to join in by completing these challenges or up to 45 minutes of any physical activity each day, then share pictures online using the #TrainLikeAMartian hashtag. Regional events are being planned in Huntsville, Ala., Minneapolis, Minn., and Central Florida on April 24 the same day Astronaut Tim Peake will run the London Marathon on the International Space Station.

The Train Like a Martian Challenge is also an opportunity for individuals and groups to fundraise in support of the mission of The Mars Generation. Prizes will be awarded for participation and fundraising efforts.

TMG works to excite young people and adults about space and STEM education through three primary programs. The Future of Space Program is a worldwide outreach program designed to gain excitement about STEM and build support for human space exploration. The Student Space Ambassador Program encourages teens and young adults to share their excitement about space exploration with their own communities. Finally, the Space Camp Scholarship Program provides financial backing for young people who lack financial resources but show an aptitude in STEM to attend Space Camp®.

Join the conversation at:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/themarsgeneration
Twitter: @TheMarsGen
Hashtag: #TrainLikeAMartian
For more information visit: themarsgeneration.org/train-like-martian-challenge or email ground support (dot) themarsgeneration (dot) org

*NASA is not affiliated with or sponsoring the Train Like a Martian Challenge

Seventeen Magazine Selects TMG Founder As 2016 Power Teen

February 16, 2016 By groundcontrol Leave a Comment

We are excited to announce that our founder and spokesperson Abigail Harrison, Astronaut Abby, has been selected as one of Seventeen Magazine’s 17 Power Teens for 2016. Abigail was featured with young women that include several activists, a politician, a professional skateboarder and many other amazing teens.

The article is featured in the March 2016 issue of Seventeen Magazine. Not only does the article take about Abby’s own dreams to be the first person to Mars but also her outreach work and her founding of The Mars Generation including a mention of our website address and our mission. A great shout out to our organization that will hopefully inspire more girls and young women to get involved with STEM and The Mars Generation.

We are thrilled to see a pop culture magazine such as Seventeen feature smart, strong, ambitious young women as role models and hope to see the trend continue. Thank you Abby for your great representation of our organization and Seventeen for choosing Abby as one of your 2016 Power Teens!

TMG Founder to Speak at Humans To Mars Summit 2016

February 16, 2016 By groundcontrol Leave a Comment

We are excited to announce that our founder and spokesperson, Astronaut Abby, will be speaking at the 2016 Humans to Mars Summit. This annual Explore Mars premiere event is being help May 17-19, 2016 at the George Washington University in Washington D.C.

The speakers lineup on the first day of the event includes Astronaut Abby, Buzz Aldrin, Bill Nye, Andy Weir, Dava Newman, Charles Bolden, Ellen St0fan, James Green and many other esteemed professionals in the space and science community. The event is expected to exceed past events with an estimate of over 1,000 attendees and one million viewers online.

We are proud to announce that The Mars Generation is partnering with Explore Mars (the event organizers) and through this partnership we are providing a special discount code for 15% off of Humans to Mars 2016 conference tickets for our community members. The discount code is TMGMars and can be used on all full event tickets. For more information and registration please visit the Human To Mars Summit website.

We could not be prouder to have Astronaut Abby represent The Mars Generation at the summit and we hope those who are able will join us. Together we can change the world!

PBS SCITECH NOW: Dr. Phil Metzger Talks About The Mars Generation

January 24, 2016 By groundcontrol Leave a Comment

We are so excited to share this clip of the PBS show SCITECH NOW with our Advisory Board member Dr. Phil Metzger being interviewed by SCITECH NOW reporter Andrea Vasquez. Dr. Metzger talks about The Mars Generation and the future of human space exploration as well as what young people can look forward to in the 2030’s when we send humans to Mars. You can watch Dr. Metzger’s entire SCITECH NOW interview by clicking here.

“Mars is the next major destination in space travel and it’s going to take a new generation of budding scientists to get us there. The Mars Generation is a nonprofit organization focused on educating and exciting kids and adults about deep space exploration. Joining me is Dr. Phil Metzger, a planetary physicist at the University of Central Florida Space Institute, former NASA scientist at the Kennedy Space Center and an Advisor for The Mars Generation.” States Reporter Andrea Vasquez, on a January 6, 2016 segment of the PBS show SCITECH NOW.

Welcome Nicole Chase! New Director of TMG Student Space Ambassador Program

December 23, 2015 By groundcontrol Leave a Comment

It is with great excitement that we welcome a new and very important member of the The Mars Generation team. Beginning immediately Nicole Chase, currently seeking a Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems from Portland State University in Portland, Oregon, will join The Mars Generation staff as our Student Space Ambassador Program Director (SSAPD). We are excited to have found a student who is dedicated not only to her own studies but is also committed to STEM education, mentoring, and the future of space exploration.

Our SSA program is a unique program which, in addition to providing a positive and supportive online community of teachers, parents and students through a private Facebook group, provides stories, resources and materials for students who want to make a difference in their communities. The program is ready for a leader like Chase to grow the vision to it’s full potential.

Prior to her graduate studies, Chase earned a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience, with a minor in General Sciences, and a Bachelor of Arts in Geography, with a minor in Chemistry, from Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. During her undergraduate years, Chase helped to organize, plan, and execute numerous events on BGSU’s campus, held six leadership positions, and attended many regional and national leadership conferences. She is very excited to bring her knowledge and experience to The Mars Generation as the Director of the Student Space Ambassador Program.

Please join us in welcoming Nicole to The Mars Generation leadership team. It is the dedication of time and knowledge of people like Nicole that will allow our program to grow and advance. Together, we can change the world!

PRESS RELEASE: The Mars Generation Opens Applications For 10 Full Paid Space Camp Scholarships

December 21, 2015 By Leave a Comment

MINNEAPOLIS, MINN DECEMBER 21, 2015

The Mars Generation Opens Applications For 2016 Space Camp Scholarships

The Beginning today, The Mars Generation (TMG) is pleased to announce that the organization is now taking applications to select 10 students who will receive full-paid scholarships (transportation included) to Space Camp located in Huntsville, Alabama for summer of 2016.

The application process begins with the teachers who recognize talent and need. Teachers will nominate students who have demonstrated an aptitude in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) who would benefit from an experience like Space Camp. The Mars Generation board members will review nominations, and invite applications from qualified nominated students. Each application will include a two-page essay from the student. Deadline for teacher nominations is no later than Feb. 1, 2016, and student applications must be completed and submitted online on or before March 1, 2016.

Space Camp Scholarship qualifications include:

Being ages 13-16
Showing an interest and aptitude in STEM subjects
Having satisfactory academic standing
Demonstrating financial need – determined by student being at or below the income guidelines set in the USDA free lunch program. Student/parents will need to show income verification either through qualification of USDA free lunch verification or tax returns.
Being currently enrolled in a school in the United States
Having parent permission
Having never attended Space Camp

The Mars Generation Space Camp Scholarship program is a unique program offering support beyond the estimated $1,500 for tuition and transportation fees to attend the camp. To prepare TMG Scholars for the awe-inspiring experience of attending Space Camp, they will be mentored as a cohort by students who have previously attended Space Camp and are now TMG Space Ambassadors. Additionally, TMG will engage parent liaisons who will be available to answer questions and provide guidance to scholars’ parents.

“It is exciting to be able to award 10 full-paid scholarships to Space Camp just three months after launching this nonprofit,” said Nicole Harrison, Executive Director of The Mars Generation. “We are so thankful for the wonderful online community, official sponsors and private donors who have made these first scholarships possible, and we look forward to what the future will bring as this nonprofit matures.”

The Mars Generation serves as a catalyst to identify students with an interest in STEM and nurture their study in STEM education through outreach and scholarship programs. Through programs like the Space Camp Scholarship program, The Mars Generation fulfills its mission as a nonprofit organization dedicated to nurturing and inspiring tomorrow’s explorers today. By energizing young people with excitement for space and STEM, TMG is educating youth and adults about the importance of deep space exploration to humankind.

Student nominations are now closed. Please signup for our email list below to receive notices of future scholarship openings.

For more information about Space Camp USA go to spacecamp.com

For questions and interviews, contact Yvonne Hundshamer at groundsupport@themarsgeneration.org

To sign up for future space camp scholarship updates please click here.

Space Camp Scholarship Nominations Open Soon

December 15, 2015 By groundcontrol Leave a Comment

We are thrilled to announce that we are awarding 10 full paid (transportation included) Space Camp Scholarships in the winter of 2016. This is a huge accomplishment given that The Mars Generation was launched just 3 months ago! We are able to award these scholarships because of the incredible dedication, hard work and support of our board, sponsors, volunteer staff and our incredible community!

The process for application starts with a teacher nomination of the student. Our scholarship committee will review nominations and email teacher with student application once nomination is accepted. The student application will include a two page essay.

The nomination forms will be made available December 21, 2015 and are due no later than February 1, 2016. Student applications will be accepted until March 1, 2016. All applicants will be notified by April 1, 2016 of their status.

Space Camp Scholarship Qualifications Include:

Age 13-16
Interested in STEM or STEAM subjects
Having satisfactory academic standing (must be passing all classes)
Demonstrating financial need – determined by student qualifying for the USDA free and reduced lunch program (student will need to provide proof in application)
Currently enrolled in a school in the United States
Having never attended Space Camp
Having parent permission

Please check back for nomination details soon! To receive email updates about scholarships now and in the future please sign up below.

Success for Potato Challenge and Give To Mars Day

November 13, 2015 By Leave a Comment

“They are millions of miles from earth and long to be home. Help #PotatoChallenge particpatnes come home!” A ground support crew member, Ambia Favela, posted this message to our Martians. Awesome!

We just made a promise on Twitter that we would never talk about potatoes again. But, well that’s hard to do when so much of the last few months at The Mars Generation and especially the last 24 hours has revolved around the conversation of potatoes! This event, which was also the launch of our first ever Give To Mars Day was by all definitions a massive success.

“Dreaming about what food I will eat after the #PotatoChallenge like astronauts do. ” Post by Aspiring Astronaut Kirsti Kuutti during the #PotatoChallenge

One of our main goals for the Potato Challenge was to raise awareness of The Mars Generation and to let the world know we are here and we are strong. And we did just that. Our community not only conquered spending a day on Mars eating nothing but potatoes but also was able to make the hashtag #PotatoChallenge trend on Twitter (this requires ALOT of conversation). With over 4,000 tweets, a reach of 1.5 million and 20 million impressions about the Potato Challenge in 24 hours we have definitely been heard (and that’s just Twitter, not FB, Instagram, Google+ or other channels). But bigger than that was all the love in those tweets. So many people asking others to donate to The Mars Generation and explaining why we need an organization like this to exist and pouring their hearts into a day that was devoted not only to “giving to mars” but also eating nothing but potatoes!

During Give to Mars Day we also held our first ever #MarsChat on Twitter with Astronaut Abby. Abby chatted with 5th graders in California and answered their questions about Mars. Abby also fielded questions from kids from other classrooms and some adults as well! We are discussing continuing the #MarsChat and will be announcing that shortly. We already have a fun line-up of possible people to join us!

Dr. Phil Metzger Potato Challenge The Martian

“For a #WaterChallenge photo in #PotatoChallenge, Watney puts Pathfinder spacecraft on top of the rover. ” Dr. Phil Metzler TMG Advisory Board Member posted during the #PotatoChallenge.

For our fundraising efforts this was our first time asking for donations and as a brand new nonprofit raising over $7000 is an excellent outcome! We started the challenge as an organization that had only a few donors – we had never fundraised before because we just launched on September 15, 2015 and we now have over 150 donors. This is a phenomenal start to building this organization. Thank you to everyone who donated.

We continue to have donations for our #GalacticGiver #GroundSupport #GiveToMars drive. If you would like to join this founding group of donors please go to: themarsgeneration.org/donate.

Please continue to share our message and let’s keep building this community. We will plan another big #GiveToMarsDay and will let everyone know when that will be.

All in all this was simply stated an out of this world adventure and I want to thank each and every one of you for your time, energy and commitment. This was a group effort and without our volunteers, donors, participants and our growing community all pitching in we would not be here today. Let’s keep the momentum going! Ask your friends to #GiveToMars and donate today!

Thank you everyone!

Nicole Harrison

Executive Director, The Mars Generation

The Mars Generation In The News in Colombia

November 7, 2015 By Leave a Comment

On November 7, 2015, The Mars Generation was featured in the El Heraldo Barranquilla, one of the most well read newspapers in Colombia. We send a big thank you to Jorge Salazar for seeing the vision of The Mars Generation and believing in it enough to help make this article happen.

The Mars Generation is bringing together likeminded people from across the world through social media, connecting them together under one common mission. We are thrilled to see the media helping to spread the word about our work and inviting more people around the world to join our community. Together we can change the world!